what was safest to himself and most pleasing to others he accommodated not his labours to the real benefit of all but to the humours of some disdaining plain Speech affecting levity frothy or amusing discourses He was more solicitous to know how he was praised than how others did profit He let Truth sink and Errours gain ground when he found his Name or Incomes should suffer by opposing the last or abetting the first such a time he dealt treacherously with such such Souls he obstructed a publick good for his private advantage he excused himself from preaching pleading or speaking tho' he saw my Insterest and the real benefit of others required it How formal and cold in his performances prayerless and slothful in his preparations Partial and careless in Discipline and unexemplary in walking Notions he took up for Truths without search or other enquiry then is this the Opinion of a Man eminent with the Party I hope to live by and will it suit with the Fancies of these Men I might proceed herein and annex the particular Cases of others But this may suffice to mind you what a blush should it raise what an anguish should it cause to see your Names thus underwritten in the Records of Heaven and know the Devil keeps also an account as full as he can that he may become your Accuser 2. You can make no Apology for your unusefulness but what 's fit to aggravate your shame and sorrow A vain Mind and a feared Conscience will suggest Excuses and take up with them however false and frivolous they be But Enquiries there will be which will pierce into the Nature and Truth of things and minister such an awakening Light as shall render the most careless and confident person speechless Matth. 22.12 It were our mercy that we allowed nothing as a sufficient Plea now but what will be approved of at the Judgment Bar. Examine therefore the true Reasons why you have not served your Generation as well as others Obj. You 'll pretend your utter incapacity for service Ans. 1. That is a good Apology if true for God expects not to reap where he hath not sown he is no such hard Master Matth. 25.26 None shall have ground to affix that Character to him But is this Excuse true can your Consciences as drowsie as they are offer this Plea and abide by it viz. The only Reason why we were not Publick Blessings was because we had no gift no opportunity estate or power to be so If Conscience upon a serious pause dare not stick to this Excuse but condemns thee how much more will God condemn thee who is greater and knoweth all things 2 Iohn 3.30 But if still you verily believe that the Objection states your Case Ans. 2. Let me ask you Have you really pitied the Distressed whom you could not relieve Have you avoided being hurtful to others tho' you could not profit them Have you earnestly prayed for the Church of God and the good of the Miserable World bewailing the sorrows of the first and the misery of the last Do you rejoyce in and bless God for those who are useful without envying the most eminent When you desire an Estate or Gift and bewail the want of them is the later mostly because you cannot be useful and the former that you may be so Do you take all due pains and use all good thrift that you may have somewhat to enable you to be profitable And if you are poor and have the help of others do you make conscience not to ask it till you need nor ask or take more than you need that the Relief of the more necessitous may not be hindred If your hearts cannot honestly say these things answer my case it 's thus with me then you have not a temper of mind to be useful if you had Abilities and it 's most probable you are more able to do good than you have been faithful to do it But if indeed your Consciences do justly witness that you can so answer to the above Questions as that incapacity is the very Reason your Generation is not more served by you than by your prayers and good example then you are not the persons to whom my Reproof is directed so that you do that little you can Ans. 3. But such of you as are able to serve their Generation and neglect it should be more ashamed and grieved when you consider the true Causes of your unprofitableness Your Hinderances to service are from your selves your Lusts have the great hand in assigning the governing Reason Look at the baulks you have made and the opportunities you have past unusefully over and ask thy Conscience whence was it that I neglected this can you be unaffected when you receive this Answer my Covetousness my Pride my Sloth my Fear my Unbelief or my Unconcernedness for God's Honour and the Publick Good did hinder me these made me unwilling and averse these diverted my Abilities to another Chanel and would not suffer me to be useful and faithful in my Trust were not you governed by one or other of these whenever you shut you Ears to the Cry of an afflicted Church of starved Ministers of a sinking Nation of diseased Souls and the distressed Poor If it be so as indeed it will be found you have cause to be ashamed and mourn Doth it become Men to be under the Conduct of such base Guides In this respect God hath called you to shew your selves Men Isa. 46.8 But much more unbecoming is this to you that wear the Name of Christians you are called and Redeemed to be zealous of good works Titus 2.14 Is this to be so Is this to imitate or obey Christ whom you own for your Lord and whose Livery you have put on Follow the Chanel to the Fountain head be led by your actings to the posture and frame of your hearts and judge what vile spirits act you what a dominion have these Lusts in your Soul that thus command your Talents and determine the scope of your Lives in opposition to the loudest Calls Oh blush and weep that with all thy Light and Helps under all thy Christian Profession and Hopes thy heart is so earthly and carnal so sensual and devilish so full of hatred to God and Man as the Authority of these Lusts import and thy unusefulness doth testifie in the clearest Light the Holy Spirit hath made no saving change if you are altogether useless the change at most is very imperfect whiles your usefulness is so much hindred by these unsubdued Lusts The very unprofitable must be made other Men Matt. 12.33 and the less profitable are not very good Men. You have those dry leaves and those dead branches which may well put you to the blush and fill you with fear Iohn 15.2 the unfruitful branch will be cast out 3. Your unusefulness expresseth that treachery ingratitude and injustice towards God which must cause shame and sorrow in every thinking
THE EXCELLENCY OF A Publick Spirit Set forth in a SERMON Preach'd since much enlarged at the FUNERAL Of that late Reverend Divine Dr. SAMVEL ANNESLEY Who departed this Life Dec 31. 1696. In the 77th Year of his Age. With a Brief Account of His LIFE and DEATH By Daniel Williams Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in Iewen street 1697. To that Flock of Christ over which the Reverend Dr. Annesley was lately Pastor Much honoured and esteemed THis presents you with a Discourse for substance preached and printed at your desire I faintly hope its acceptance with many when Iustice is become a stranger and a meer honest Man a glorius Title Publick Usefulness must scarce escape with the Brand of Folly with those whole Trade is turned into tricking or account publick Employs no more than a decent opportunity to cheat the People But Truth may profit them unless a Zeal for their Disease will not allow their reading what is directed for their recovery To you and some others this Subject must appear too plainly instamp'd with God's Image and Authority and a tendency to Common Weal to admit the Censure of a Narrow Spirit however disguised to be it's Standard Especially when this is what commended your late Pastor to such unusual Affection as you expressed to him living dying yea when dead Yet this might be expected seeing his very Spirit is transfused into his People by whose Bounty in good part he performed such great Things for a common Good Few Ministers had such cause of glorying in so many Publick Spirited Hearers as yours Mr. Denham Mr. Hartley Mr. Cockerill with many now at rest might be named the living I scarce forbear The Sermon is much enlarged and the Method somewhat changed that it may more contribute to common Serviceableness What 's more desirable than to Vseful in making others so Hence the eminent Services of Mr. Brand so revived the Dr. And hereby we most extend and pertuate publick Benefits yea oft above our own Ability and beyond our Life Promote you that Design in this barren Age by putting this Tract into Hands who need it and by your own vigorous Example and Prayer's that it may be seen the Spring of your Charity and Christian Activeness is more lasting than the Exemplary Life or Labours of your deceased Guide May you find in Spirituals and Externals there is that scattereth and yet increaseth The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself And all of us be excited to more holy Fervour by the Death of two such as Dr. Annesley and fervent Mr. Oldfield in one Day and worthy Mr. James soon after I am Your Servant in the Gospel Daniel Williams THE EXCELLENCY OF A Publick Spirit ACTS XIII Ver. 36. For David after he had served his own Generation by the Will of God fell on sleep YOUR Request bringing me hither upon this sad Occasion your Venerable Pastor's Death I have made choice of this Text as proper to inforce an Important Duty which tho' so little regarded by most in our Age yet the deceased was faithful in the practice of yea so Eminent that I hope he will be a moving Example to others in this wherein the signal Excellency of his own Life consisted The words read are part of St. Paul's Sermon to the Iews at Antioch in which after a fit Introduction 1. He proves Jesus to be the Christ from ver 23. to 38. an Article which supposing the knowledge of God hath the greatest influence into all our Religious Hopes and Duties and therefore a firm assent thereto ought to be more endeavoured than I fear is usual with many who boast of a Christian Name This point he argues from these Topicks Jesus was of David's Seed which the Christ was to be 23 24. Jesus was he whom Iohn in such esteem with them did bear Testimony to that he was the Christ 24 25. In the unjust condemnation and barbarous killing of this Jesus the Iews had unwittingly fulfilled in every circumstance all the Prophecies which foretold the unjust and cruel usuages the Christ should meet with 27 28 29. This Jesus God had certainly raised from the Dead according as it was in several places Prophesied of the Christ and promised to him which Resurrection was God's Testimony concerning him that he was his Eternal Son Incarnate But lest any might object that that Text Ps. 16. 10. was fulfilled in David the Apostle obviates this by shewing that David lay in his Grave so long as to putrifie which the Christ was not to do neither did our Jesus and by this occasion the words of my Text are introduced as David's Praise which the Apostle would not omit tho' his Argument lies in that part of the Verse which I have not read viz. He saw Corruption And the following v. 38 39. are both Arguments for Jesus being the Christ in that forgiveness of sin to which the Mosaick Ceremonies and Sacrifices were altogether unavailable but as Types and Shadows respecting what Jesus did and suffered was preached through this Iesus 2. And also a serious offer of forgiveness to all of them made in the Name and Authority of our Saviour Christ. 3. He inforceth this with an awakening caution viz. That they prevent not their own Salvation yea aggravate not their Misery by rejecting this Jesus the Christ the Lord q. d. the Lord Jesus fulfilling all that 's foretold of his Death and Resurrection his being the Crucified and Risen Saviour yea the offer of that blessed forgiveness he purchased will not suffice to your Salvation unless you also trust and receive him Nay if you receive him not and accept not Salvation in the way he proposeth your punishment will be sorer than if forgiveness had been never offered yea than if there were no Saviour v. 40 41. for the profitable matter not the meer connexion having thus far diverted I assume the Text which gives us account 1. Of David's Publick Usefulness while living he served his own Generation by the Will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being alike governed by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causeth another reading to be as Grammatical viz. After he had served the Will of God in his own Generation that of Erasmus being too remote to deserve much regard viz. That he fell asleep by the Will of God yet the sence of both readings alike secures the great Duty of Publick Usefulness to be David's Praise for if you prefer the latter his Service is determined to the Publick Weal in his own Generation tho' it may more expresly include also his care for his own Soul by his obedience to God's Will as prescribing the Rule by which we must be saved which was the Gospel Law then as truly as it 's now of which a faithful improvement of our Talents is no small part But the order of the words most favours
that he may live to Christ and a common Good This Man knows he shall find his truest self most gratified secured and provided for in renouncing and opposing this his greatest Enemy tho' called Self I shall in the next place Exhort you and my self according to the nature of this Truth which I have explained 1. Let us be ashamed and duly humbled for our unusefulness in our Generation Who of us falls not under the charge of this fault And surely blushings and grief are very proper where the charge is true but knowing how loth we are to acknowledge our fault and as backward to be affected with the sence of it when it 's too plain to be denied I shall endeavour 1. To convince you of your unusefulness in your Generation that so we may not plead we are ignorant if we are guilty 2. To excite you to shame and sorrow for your Unusefulness when under conviction of the Guilt 1. For conviction of the Guilty To this end review your Talents and the improvements of them for publick Good admit yea excite your Consciences to compare your Distributions with your Stock your Labour with your Strength and your publick Services with your Time Gifts and Opportunities deal herein as in the sight of Christ whose Eyes are as a flame of Fire Rev. 1. 14 and be not unconcerned whether you find out your sin or not for your Ignorance prevents not your Guilt if the Charge be true tho' it will hinder your Repentance whereby your punishment becomes unavoidable O then let each of us ask our selves such Questions as these Have I ever proposed to live to God's Honour in the good of others as the great end of Life Or have not I utterly disregarded it Have I done good to as many persons as I had a Call to and opportunity for Or have not I wilfully exempted very many to whom I stood obliged Hath the good that I have done in the World been in proportion to my utmost Ability Or hath it been very little and inconsiderable compared with what I could have done Did I begin to be Useful as soon as I was capable and do I continue so to this time or was I not far in years before I began Or have I not deserted it after I made some hopeful beginnings Am I seriously concerned to see so many Sinners posting to Hell Doth my Heart bleed at the miserable condition of the poor and distressed Am I very solicitous for the Churches wellfare and the Nations happiness so as to set my self to redress Evil and help the Good of each in my place And this to the extent of my Power Or am not I one that slight the wickedness the World lies in want Bowels to the distressed If I abound seldom think or care what becomes of the Church or Nation so that I and my Friends be but safe and thrive and accordingly I employ and spare my Estate Labour Gifts and Power What Answer doth an awakened Conscience give to these Questions Doth it not accuse you Must it not present to you a sad account of great Omissions and many Neglects Have you no such secret misgivings as these I fear I have been a dry Tree and barren Soil few have cause to bless God for my Life Oh the little Good I have ever as yet attempted to do to others What Fruit I have born hath been to my self with unfruitful Ephraim Hos. 10. 1. If any have been benefited by any thing I have given or done it hath been by God's over-ruling it and seldom with any design or good will of mine or at best I have less intended the Good of others thereby than my own private Advantage for my Heart tells me I coldly attempted the most promising Enterprize from which I expected not Applause or Profit And soon gave it over when I had a prospect of reproach or loss thereby Oh that you would be faithful to your own Souls and acknowledge your Guilt especially if it be notorious great Instances cannot be overlooked unless you wilfully shut your Eyes What Trade you have driven in the World must be known to you tho' some Diversions may be forgotten Hath publick Service for God been your business in any measure Or have you made the very Worship of God and your most seeming Obedience to subserve Carnal Ends Have you spent your Estate on your Lusts or on the Publick Interests and poor Members of Christ next to the supply of your own and Families true Necessities What Projects have had the chief Room in your Heads What Matters have sate closest to your Hearts Were they serving your Generation and saving your own Soul Or were they the perishing Affairs of Life Rest not till you make a true Answer nor till that as past all doubt be assented to that so if unusefulness is imputed to you by the All-seeing God you may cry I am guilty being convinced of all and judged of all 1 Cor. 14.24 2. If you are guilty be ashamed and grieved His Heart is Obdurate if not Atheistical that owneth his unprofitableness without shame seeing it 's a thing so indecent and unbecoming or without afflicting Sorrow it being a thing so sinful in its self so unjust towards God so injurious to others and hurtful to your own Souls Give way to some thoughts that ought to strike your secure unconcerned Minds 1. God keeps a Register of his Gifts committed to you and of your Neglects and Abuses in the employing of them He knows what thou hast done and what thou mightest have done what you have laid out by his Rules and what under the Conduct of your own Lusts nothing of either did escape his view or slip his memory the Account of both are as full and exact as if Entred in a Book Rev. 20 12. and shortly the whole will be read by thy self in a light which cannot be refused yea transcribed on thy very Conscience so as not to be blotted out Anticipate this by serious reflexions and sure it must fill you with shame and sorrow to see so much received and so little restored by applying it to the appointed Uses yea so much employed to very contrary purposes so great an Estate with little or nothing to promote the Gospel or relieve the Poor but a very great Sum wasted on thy Lusts or hoarded to look upon Will it not affect to find your Names among Magistrates or Ministers capable for and called to the respective Duties of such Offices for a common Good And over-against your Names thus written This Magistrate was no terror to Evil doers no praise to such as did well Nay instead of reforming others he corrupted them by his countenance and example instead of relieving the injured he oppressed the Poor perverted Justice and persecuted my Servants This Minister did not reprove Sin impartially and boldly especially if the offenders were such as he expected benefit by he declared not my whole Counsel but minced and chose
these things you may know whether you are such unuseful persons as shall be pardoned and saved or such unuseful persons as shall endure Eternal Misery if you persistin this state Obj. 3. But tho' I continue unuseful in that manner as the Word of God declareth Eternal Misery will follow upon it yet I shall be safe if I believe in Christ for the pardon of it and that I 'll do and yet not reform my course Ans. Deceive not thy self with vain words what thou sowest that thou shalt reap Mat. 6. v. 19. And be it known to thee that no Faith in Christ will be available to thy pardon which is not effectual to turn thee from that unusefulness and which doth not include in it a dedication and prevailing habitual devotedness of thy self to Christ and his service in a common good A living Faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. and a dead Faith will never justifie yea it self is condemned as a false Faith if it want good works when opportunity for them is afforded And that Man must impose upon himself who can imagine that the Faith which is necessary to pardon must work by Love and yet not work in Love towards our Neighbours at all but if you grant it must work in Love towards our Neighbour I ask must it not work towards all that are designed by the word Neighbour whom we are to love if so it includes all Men whatever within the reach of my ability to do good to and if it be by Love to All them that it will work it must express it self in those works that instance the sincerity of our Love to them for their benefit and so true Faith will work towards all as far as Love is due to them and do all that sincere Love to them will prompt to which is no less than serving our Generation or that publick Usefulness which you neglect Can the Tempter still delude you to think that you will have a pardon of your Unusefulness by such a Faith as doth not make you resolve to be Useful Yea or doth not effectually produce this Usefulness as you are called thereto Alas you contradict yea nullifie a Justifying Faith when you say I will not reform my useless Life and yet I will believe in Christ for a pardon of it the English of which is I will believe in Christ for Pardon with such a Faith as Christ never promised pardon to and upon which he will never pardon me This instead of mitigating thy Folly in being unuseful doth greatly augment and proclaim it it sets thee no safer from endless Misery but by encouraging thee in the course that certainly leads to it it makes thy enduring that Misery the surer 2 Exh. Resolve henceforward to be Useful in your Generation yea eminently Useful if capable thereof All I have hitherto insisted on tends to this That you may resolve at last to engage in this Work For this end I have explained this Duty and commended the Performance thereof for this I have said so much to discover the Neglects of it and to convince of the Folly and Danger of those Neglects All which will be lost if you go hence unresolved to be Publick Blessings in your Day What avail all Arguments if they incline not our backward Hearts to Usefulness They will no more than discover our Obstinateness and aggravate our Condemnation but in hope of a better Effect I shall Address my self to each of you The more remiss you have been hitherto the more incumbent on you it is now to engage your Souls in this Work from this time do what you can to serve the Will of God in your Generation devise great and liberal things Isa. 32.8 Let nothing set bounds to your Usefulness but a Natural or Moral incapacity i. e. somewhat impossible or something unlawful What 's impossible God requires not and to do or speak wickedly or deceitfully for God he will not accept Job 13.7 But what 's Lawful and within your Power omit not the greater it is the more will God be Honoured others Benefited and thy own Divine temper expressed Be pleased with the largest opportunities of Service and faithfully answer each trifle not but be in earnest move not slowly but run the ways of God's Commandments as one whose Heart is enlarged by him Psal. 119. Beat not the Air as if uncertain of the nature or tendency of thy Work it 's for God it will end in Glory 1 Cor. 9 26. Let us each in our places say with Nehemiah cap. 2.20 The Lord will prosper us therefore we his Servants will arise and build That I may more usefully urge this General Exhortation I shall direct it according to some different circumstances which you may be in and answerably direct and plead with you 1. To such as are still unwilling to serve their Generation Either you are convinced that this is your Duty or you are not if you are perswaded it 's your Duty what peace or hope can you possess whiles you live in the neglect of it If you think it is not your Duty what sence can you put upon so many plain Scriptures that command it That promise such Rewards to and Assistances in it That threaten such sore Miseries to the Neglecters of it That so approve of and praise the Practice and Practisers of it and brand the Name of such as Accursed who refused to do so If these things suffice not to prove a Duty nothing can and I am sure God hath not excepted your Names from the Obligation to obey it any more than others But whether convinced that this is your Duty or unconvinced pray consider as you are Mâ—n you are not Born for your selves but for your Country too Nature dictates this Heathens assert it your own Hearts commend it in others and disapprove the contrary yea many Brutes reproach you when they 'll hazard themselves to defend their Young and secure each other against a Common Enemy or Mischief As you are Men created by the living God you are accountable to him you ought to answer the ends for which he made you which were to serve his Purposes and bring him Glory He was too Wise and Holy to make you Lawless as to himself or to the Community of which you are Members nor is he so remiss a Governor as not severely to animadvert Offences so publickly mischievous As you are called Christians bethink your selves the Lord Jesus redeemed you that you might return to a state of Subjection and Service and under that Law you are to him Rom. 14.9 It 's no small Mercy that he calls you to this considering you were condemned Rebels and that he is ready to accept it and assist you in it What Ingratitude is it to live to your selves and not to him who paid so dear for your Ransom 1 Cor. 6.20 Further consider the before-described Miseries which you wilfully chuse and the glorious Blessings you certainly forfeit by your
Judgment abate your Delight aggravate your Difficulties frame Excuses find Diversions enervate Motives and many other ways lessen your Service and as they grow they tend to still further Abatements in the opposite Graces Oh! where will these declensions stop if you allow them And every Day you will be less able and disposed to recover your former strength and consequently be less sure and fit to serve your Generation 2 Obs. The usefullest persons die David fell asleep Shall I represent this as a Warning or as an Encouragement to Service It hath something of both and in each respect it 's a strong Motive to serve our Generation 1. It 's a Warning to be useful whiles you live for Work or Loyter you Death is daily making its Approaches and when it seizeth it will be in vain to wish to be spared for greater use or resolve to do what you hitherto neglected Death sets a period to our Endeavours to benefit the Church or Nation our Friends or Relations they can expect no further advantage by us Therefore in a sence of your own frailty and the certainty of dying within a short while resolve with our blessed Saviour Ioh. 9.4 I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no Man can work It 's a Mercy to have nothing undone which God gave us Life for and to be finishing it when the Arrest of Death is felt 2. It 's an Encouragement to such as faithfully serve their Generation The usefullest fall asleep not indeed if it were such a sleep as rendred the separated Soul unactive for continued Service here would be more pleasing and profitable to them than such a sleep as that but it 's a rest from Labour tho' not from Work from Pain but not from Pleasure to the departed Soul which will be with Christ and tho' separated for a while is sure to be re-united to the Body at the Resurrection It 's a Woe to the unprofited World that eminently useful Men are Dead for you can hope for no further help nor expect any benefit by them they left you barren and miserable after all their Labours and must be terrible Witnesses against you It 's a loss to the Church and Nation that such eminently useful Men must die the Defence Glory and Blessing of a People are removed what an open breach is made The Earth's endangered by removal of such Pillars These are the Chariots of Israel and the Horse-men thereof 2 King 13. 14. There be but few such among the multitude of Christians and their loss is not easily made up but to the faithful eminently useful Saint it 's a privilege he shall die being all such are not to be translated he would not live always Job 7.16 for by Death he goes into better company he 'll be freed from a weight that clogg'd him tho' he moved so fast the Sin and Sorrow he felt he is to feel no more he shall enjoy Christ in another manner relish Pleasures in a higher way and possess what he hoped and waited for Death must be his great Advantage to whom faithful and publick Service is his very Business and Trade whiles he liveth To me to live is Christ and to die is Gain Phil. 1.21 22. Instead of the Application of this Doctrine I shall turn my Discourse to the Occasion of our present Meeting the Death of your Pastor Dr. Samuel Annesley in whom we have the whole Text exemplified he served his Generation and he is fallen asleep In the last part a just cause of Mourning is presented with respect to many more than our selves in the former a lively Example is proposed for our imitation as to both here 's a convincing instance We see it 's possible for Men in our Age to serve their Generation and yet the greatest Usefulness prevents not Death for he who was so eminently Useful lies now Dead He began early he continued long and never ceas'd to serve his Generation until by Death he was allowed to rest from his Labours He was born of very godly Parents at Kellingworth near Warwick Anno 1620. and their only Child The Name Samuel was appointed for him by his eminently Pious Grand-mother who died before his Birth and gave this reason for her desire that he should be so called I can say I have asked him of God His Infancy was as strangely impressed with the thoughts of being a Minister to which his Parents dedicated him from the Womb which so transported him from 5 or 6 years old as to engage him to unusual Industry in what improv'd him in order to it then it was he took up a custom which he always observed viz. Reading 20 Chapters in the Bible every Day Our God to whom the end is known from the beginning was as provident in forming him for great Service as he was forward in those indications that he should be employed therein this appeared in the hale and hardy constitution of his Body which was such as to endure the coldest Weather without Hat Gloves or Fire For many years he seldom drank any thing besides Water his Sight so strong that to his Death he read the smallest Print without Spectacles and in a Life lengthened to his 77th Year He was rarely sick his Natural capacity was good and his temper vigorous and warm which his Grace over-ruled mostly to undertake those excessive Labours and sustain the Difficulties which without a Body and Mind so fashioned had been impossible in so long a course of Service And this vigour he so retained to his very Death as if God would give an instance That the servour of some Mens Souls in his Work were either independent on the Body or their Bodies with Moses were still repaired even to Old Age when he designeth extraordinary Services by them But which was more he was not only thus separated but also sanctified from the Womb oft since declaring He never knew the time he was not Converted About 15 Years of Age he went to Oxford where he gave such Instances of his Piety and Diligence as would engage a Recital if I resolved not to omit these with all other things tho' very laudable except his Usefulness his ripe Fruits which fed so many my regard is to A Heart so naturally bent for God's Glory and the good of Souls cou'd admit no longer delays from Work than what a due fitness for it and a regular call unto it made necessary yet so long Conscience obliged him to desist he well knowing that the strongest desires of Ministerial Work in the unqualified and uncalled will not justifie their usurpation of the Office nor prevent Disorders and Damage to the Church and themselves by their publick performances He began to cast his Net as Chaplain to the Earl of Warwick then Admiral and thence removed to Cliff in Kent where he met with a Storm more tempestuous than at Sea for the people of that Place being fond of
and tended to make him a successful Blessing or his Heart and Hands had failed He was a Man of great uprightness he squared not his Profession by his Secular Interest tho' he had a large Family yet he quitted a full Maintenance rather than sin against God by Conformity Before then he was turned out of his Lecture and kept out a while because he could not comply with some Extravagancies of the late Times and since hath he suffered because he must witness for the Old Truth against Antinomianism His Integrity made him a Stranger to all Tricks and sometimes his Charity betrayed him to be impos'd on by such as use them His Humility was signal he seemed to have the meanest Opinion of his own Gifts and Labours highly esteeming others and envying none no not the acceptance of our promising young Ministers He might say with David I prayer as if made up of that Every Day he prayed twice in his Family to the last moment that he was capable His usual way was to pray 3 or 4 times a day in his Study Upon every extraordinary Occurrence in his House he kept a Fast. Under every Affliction before he would speak of it or pitch on means to redress it he spread it still before God in Prayer which brought him tho' a most affectionate Husband to bear the News of his Wives death with that composure as calmly to say The Lord gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. And after the greatest Losses he was used to speak of them with an unconcernedness as if anothers not his own In Prayer he was mighty and the returns remarkable and frequent He could trust God with all and was still resigned to his Will His solicitous concern was that God might not be dishonoured When he lay Sick this was oft repeated Oh! that I may not dishonour God in my last moments whom in my poor manner I made it the business of my Life to honour Oh! that I may not dishonour my God by my impatience Being one Night under exceeding torture he called his Daughter then present and charged her not to entertain one hard thought of God by any thing he felt but be assured he is infinitely Merciful and none are happy but those that serve him he gives peace of Conscience that 's beyond all the World can give none can die cheerfully but a Christian he shines on my Soul through Christ. God and Heaven were so habituated to him that in some disorder in his Head by his Distemper fixing there he still kept the same Savour breathed the same Spirit and spake of Divine Matters most consistently His Head was not free of those Projects for God which in Health it was ever full of I 'll end this with Mr. Baxter's who knew not how to flatter or fear any Man Account of him Dr. Annesley is a most Sincere Godly Humble Man totally devoted to God Mr. B's Life Having hinted some things that respect the Excellency of this Person some may whisper but what Tokens of God's Favour had this useful Man more than others he had many Troubles and Exercises God testified his Favour to him in Instances which he most esteemed and pursued above all things yea dispised and renounced all compared therewith which is enough to testifie him a happy Man what ever he endured or wanted God kept him faithful in his Work to the last for which he thus thanked God on his Death-Bed Blessed be God I can say I have been faithful in the Work of the Ministry above 55 Years He had great success in his Work many called him Father as the Instrument of their Conversion the worthy Mr. Brand was one many called him Comforter In all his sufferings he found supports which kept him as chearful as his Office and Age allowed under all yea 17 weeks pain without a discontended Word or Thought Signal returns of Prayer he frequently had and very close Communion with God in Christ. His Charity and Care wanted not comfortable Effects How many whom he contributed to the Education of are useful Ministers In how many Places doth Religion flourish by his means God gave him a great Interest in the Hearts of most Ministers and serious People How oft and long did they pray for his Life as a publick Blessing And how generally is his Death lamented He thankfully owned God in all He signally witnessed for him in his Judgments on several of his Persecutors One died signing a Warrant to apprehend him Many might be instanced but it 's fit we cover such in acknowledgment of present Quiet He had uninterrupted peace and assurance of God's Covenant-Love for above 30 years last past It 's true he walked in Darkness for several years before that which is common to those who are converted in Childhood their change not being remarkable and so apter to be questioned and they oft make up in a long time by frequent returns the sad hours that others have pressing in at once But God had a further design viz. The fitting and enclining him to relieve wounded Consciences by his Ministry and Discourse wherein he was so Eminent that most troubled Souls resorted to him He used to say that this made him unable to preach a Sermon without some Word to them This Assurance had not one Cloud in all his Disease He oft said I 've no doubt nor shadow of doubt all 's clear between God and my Soul he Chains up Satan he cannot trouble me To conclude all He had an abundant entrance into God's Kingdom He was reconciled to Death yea so desirous of it as hardly induced him to have his Life prayed for But hearing some Ministers had been servently praying for his Life he replied I 'm then more reconciled to Life than ever for I 'm confident God will not give a Life so eminently in answer of Prayer as mine must be if he would not use it to greater purposes than ever before Yet some little time before his change his desires of Death appear'd strong and his Soul filled with the foretasts of Glory oft saying Come my dearest Jesus the nearer the more precious the more welcome Another time his joy was so great that in an extasie he cried out I cannot contain it what manner of Love is this to a poor Worm I can't express the thousandth part of what praise is due to thee we know not what we do when we offer at praising God for his Mercies it 's but little I can give but Lord help me to give thee my All. I 'll die praising thee and rejoice that there 's others can praise thee better I shall be satisfied with thy likeness satisfied satisfied Oh my dearest Jesus I come Now do not you think Christ is worth the faithfullest Service which ends in this manner To you of this Congregation for whose Salvation he was so concerned shall I say bewail the loss of him when you are so sensible Yet that 's but Just. Bless God for your enjoying his faithful Labours so long see that none of you perish after such pains to save you be established in the Truths you have heard which you see governed his Life to such great purposes and helped him to die with sure Triumph Shew your regard to his Memory by kindness to his Family and by not breaking off from this Church that he may not be reflected on by your giddiness as if he Taught you no better or Established you no more than to be deluded to serve a Carnal Turn in pretence of greater Purity You his Children live your Fathers Advice and Example or what a Witness will he be against you Let us all go hence with a due sence of it The World hath lost a Blessing the Church hath lost a Pillar the Nation hath lost a Wrestler with God the Poor have lost a Benefactor You his People have lost a Faithful Pastor his Children a Tender Father we in the Ministry an Exemplary Fellow Labourer FINIS There is now in the Press A COMPLEAT HISTORY of the most Remarkable Providences both of Iudgment and Mercy which have happened in this present Age Extracted from the best Writers the Authors own Observations and the numerous Relations sent him from divers Parts of the Three Kingdoms To which is added whatever is Curious in the Works of Nature and Art The whole digested into one Volume under proper Heads being a Work set on foot 30 Years ago by the Reverend Mr. Pool Author of the Synopsis Criticorum and since undertaken and finished by William Turner M. A. Vicar of Walberton in Sussex Recommended as Useful to Ministers in furnishing Topicks of Reproof and Exhortation and to private Christians for their Closets and Families Proposals and Specimens giving a fuller Account of it are to be had of I. Dunton at the Raven in Iewen-street and of Edward Richardson near the Poultry Church There is newly Published ⸫ The Character of Dr. Sam. Annesley by way of Elegy with a Preface written by one of his Hearers Price 6 d. Sold by E. Whitlock near Stationers-Hall ⸪ The whole Parable of Dives and Lazarus Explain'd and Apply'd in several Sermons preached in Cripplegate and Lothbury Churches by Ioseph Stevens Lecturer at both Published at the Request of the Hearers and recommended as proper to be given at Funerals Price bound 2 s. Printed for I. Dunton ⸪ The Secret History of White-Hall from the Restoration of Charles II. down to the Abdication of the late King James Writ at the Request of a Noble Lord and conveyed to him in Letters by late Secretary-Interpreter to the Marquis of Louvois who by that means had the perusal of all the private Minutes between England and France for many years The whole consisting of Secret Memoirs c. Published from the Original Papers by D. Iones Gent. Sold by R. Baldwin in Warwick Lane ⸪ The Dying Pastor's last Farewell By Mr. Allyn Printed for I. Dunton Price 1 s.